Piccolo's Punishment
by Mikila
Summary: What happened (or should have happened) when Trunks and Goten returned to the lookout after going to fight Majin Buu as super sayain Gotenks? Piccolo isn't happy. Neither are Bulma and Chichi. Will the two derilects survive?


Disclaimer: I Don't own, DBZ  
  
Note: I wrote this just after seeing the episode of the Majin Buu saga when Gotenks first fused as super sayain and ran off to fight Buu against Piccolo's will. After seeing the many following episodes, this story really doesn't work. But here's what I dreamt up might have happened (or should have in my mind), when they returned to the lookout.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
PICCOLO'S PUNISHMENT  
  
  
  
"It's time you two start realizing the seriousness of this situation! Do you understand?" Piccolo lectured.  
  
  
"Yes," Trunks and Goten sheepishly nodded.   
  
  
Neither of them enjoyed being in the doghouse like this, but in a way it was still worth it. When they fused, especially this last time, it felt great. They knew they weren't supposed to leave the lookout until Piccolo told them it was time, but every time they fused they just couldn't help themselves. The rush was too great. Even after their punishments for doing it the first time. Trunks even said it would be the last time his ambition would get in the way of his brain. But once him and Goten were one and their strength was so great...well, it couldn't have been that big a deal if he broke his promise could it? Their mothers didn't like it, and neither did Piccolo, but they had enough power to beat Buu. Why was everyone so concerned?  
  
  
"Now get inside! I want to have a little talk with the both of you!" Piccolo commanded.  
  
  
Oh no! Not more! Trunks and Goten hung their heads as they slinked past everyone and inside.   
  
  
"Ow!" Goten jumped forward, looking behind him.  
  
  
Chichi stood with a large scowl on her face, crossing her arms.  
  
  
Goten rubbed his toosh a bit before following Trunks.  
  
  
"Don't show him any mercy," Bulma called after Piccolo.  
  
  
Trunks didn't like the atmosphere here. They knew they would be in trouble when they came back. That's why they'd stayed gone so long. It was Trunks idea mostly, but Goten almost always went along with his older friend.  
  
  
"Through there," Piccolo shoved the two boys into a large room and shut the door, standing in front of it and surveying the scene for a few seconds.  
  
  
Both of the children stood, a few feet apart, fidgeting and avoiding eye contact. There wasn't any signs of genuine remoarse for their behavior. He would do something about that. These boys weren't leaving this room until he was sure they would be obediant from here on out. Trunks was the real problem. He was the brains of the operation. Piccolo knew it. Goten had his fair share, but Trunks had his father's ego and that would be difficult to overcome.  
  
  
"Listen up, you two. As long as you keep ignoring my instructions and the istruction of your mothers, you will never live up to your fathers. You will never come close to being the men they were!" Piccolo watched as both boys looked up, not expecting this type of lecture. "You must learn to control your ego! Just because you are powerful, does not mean you can beat Majin Buu! Do you understand?"  
  
  
"Yes," both children answer.  
  
  
They understood his words, yes, but Piccolo could see they still weren't grasping the true meaning. "Whether or not you have the blood of your fathers, you are NOTHING without training and discipline! Planning is what will accomplish our mission, not strength! Goten, you're first. Come here."  
  
  
Goten lowered his eyes and stepped forward.  
  
  
"Bend over," Piccolo ordered.  
  
  
Goten's eyebrows rose for a moment, then fell as he realised what punishment he was about to recieve. Trunks watched, a few hairs raising on his back, as his friend recieved 5 hard blows. Even through his sobs, Goten was surprised when Piccolo stopped. His mother usually gave him ten. He was thankful though. Piccolo was a LOT rougher than his mother. It really didn't hurt much when Chichi spanked him. This did. Piccolo stood the child infront of him, lowering himself to Goten's level.  
  
  
"Look at me, Goten," he waited a few seconds for Goten to gain enough composure to look at him through his tears. "You are all your mother has left. None of us want to see anything happen to you."  
  
  
Standing, Piccolo addressed Trunks as well. "I want you both to know this isn't just about beating Majin Buu. Even if you had beat him the first time you went out there matters wouldn't be any different. There is an even greater lesson here. And you need to know what that is. Trunks, are you listening to me?" Piccolo turned his attention to the older of the two.  
  
  
"Yah," there was a touch of attitude in Trunks' voice as he stood, uncomfortably avoiding eye contact. This was nothing but a lecture to him.  
  
  
"Look at me!" Piccolo ordered harshly.  
  
  
Trunks looked up, putting on a scowl.  
  
  
"I will not take any of your attitude! This is not just about beating Majin Buu! It's about learning to take direction and learning to use your head! That is what will make you trully great fighters! That is what will train you for what will come in the future! Do you understand?"  
  
  
"Yes," Trunks absently answered.  
  
  
"Yes," Goten sniffled.  
  
  
  
"Goten, I think you should go appologise to your mother," Piccolo turned his attention.  
  
  
Goten nodded in agreement, tears still in the corner of his eyes.  
  
  
"You're a good boy. You just need to learn to ignore your ambition and listen to direction," Piccolo spoke softly.  
  
  
"Piccolo...I'm sorry," Goten lingered at the door for a moment.  
  
  
Piccolo nodded slightly, then turned. "Oh no you don't, I'm not through with YOU yet!" Piccolo pointed at Trunks, stopping him from his trek toward the door.  
  
  
Trunks moaned slightly and sighed, hanging his head. Wasn't this a good enough lecture already? Why did adults have to draw their punishments out so long?  
  
  
Making sure the door was completely closed, Piccolo stared down at the eight year old child in front of him. "Look at me," he waited for response. "What were you   
thinking? Why didn't the two of you come back when the fusion wore off?"  
  
  
"I don't know," Trunks hung his head again.  
  
  
"Yes you do! Stop looking at the floor and answer the question!"  
  
  
"Because we knew we'd get in trouble."  
  
  
"And the thought that you'd be in even more trouble for staying gone so long never even crossed you minds?"  
  
  
"No."  
  
  
"Whose idea was it?"  
  
  
"Uh...Goten's...?" Trunks looked away again, fidgeting with his belt.  
  
  
"If you take your eyes off me one more time in the course of this conversation, you'll wish you were never born!" Piccolo was loosing patience. "Now you answer that question CORRECTLY! Whose idea was it to stay away from here for awhile?"  
  
  
"Mine."  
  
  
"Why?"  
  
  
"We thought things would cool off a little and we wouldn't get in as much trouble if we stayed away."  
  
  
"We?"  
  
  
"Me," Trunks scowled. He hated this treatment.  
  
  
"So instead of ignoring ONE thing I told you, you ignored TWO."  
  
  
"I guess," Trunks wanted desperately to look away, but he was afraid of what might happen if he did.  
  
  
"Come here, it's your turn."  
  
  
Trunks eyes widened a little bit. "No."  
  
  
Piccolo was taken off guard. How could this tiny little boy have enough guts to defy him? "What did you say to me?"   
  
  
"You can't do that. You're not my father..."  
  
  
"No, I'm not! Your father is dead because he overestimated his own abilities! I   
will NOT allow the same to happen to you, and neither would he!"  
  
  
"It's not going to," Trunks backed away a few steps. There was no punishment he hated more than spankings. They were humiliating.  
  
  
"If you continue behaving as you have, it very well could! I will not let your father's sacrifice be in vain! He died to save your life, Trunks! You are alive right now because your father diverted Majin Buu's attention from you and kept it on himself! You are alive because of the PLAN your father devised when he realised he couldn't win!"  
  
  
It took Trunks a moment to reply to this onslaught of information. He wasn't sure what to say. "Fine, I get it. I have to plan to win."  
  
  
"No, you're not getting off that easy, Trunks! Come here...now!"  
  
  
Trunks stood, staring at him wide eyed but not moving.  
  
  
Piccolo clenched his fists and let out a loud cry of frustration. "That's it, you're getting ten hits and if you aren't over here by the time I count to 3 that'll double! One..."  
  
  
Trunks continued standing, trying to decide what to do. Piccolo was a little bit stronger than him. There really wasn't going to be any escaping. "I'll come if you lower it back to five," he tried to negotiate.  
  
  
Piccolo's scowl deepened. "One more comment like that and it'll automatically go up 5 hits! ...Two!"  
  
  
Trunks lowered his head, sighing. He took two steps forward and stopped.  
  
  
"That's not close enough! Two and a half!"  
  
  
Trunks took a few more steps. He was close to trembling as Piccolo hovered over him.  
  
  
"Now bend over!"  
  
  
"Why? What's the difference?"  
  
  
"Do you want it bare bottom?!"  
  
  
Trunks moaned, bending over.  
  
  
Piccolo lowered himself to a slightly better possition for the job and began.   
"One...two..."  
  
  
Trunks clenched his teeth and squinted his eyes. He didn't want to cry, but he wasn't going to be able to help it. On the fifth hit he stood straight up, a few tears falling. "Ok, that's enough..."  
  
  
"I said ten hits!" Piccolo grabbed his arm and forced him over his knee, keeping one arm over his back to hold him in place.  
  
  
"Oh!" Trunks yelped at the sixth hit. "I'm sorry, I get it, I won't do it again...I promise!" Trunks pleaded at the seventh hit.  
  
  
"...eight..."  
  
  
"Stop, please....I said I won't do it again!" Trunks cried.  
  
  
"I said ten and you're getting ten! If you say one more word before I'm finished, you're getting twelve! ...Nine...!"  
  
  
Trunks yelped, sobbing  
  
  
"...Ten!" Piccolo stood the sobbing child in front of him, pulling out a handkerchief and handing it to him. "Here."  
  
  
Trunks blew his nose and continued crying.  
  
  
"Now, do you remember what Vegeta told you to do?" Trunks shook his head, still focusing on the handkerchief and not Piccolo's eyes. This time Piccolo wouldn't press the matter though. "You have a job. He told you to take good care of your mother. Do you think you've been doing that today?"  
  
  
"No," Trunks snifled.  
  
  
"Do you think he would be proud of the way you've been behaving today?"  
  
  
Trunks let out another sob and didn't answer. But he was listening this time, Piccolo could tell.  
  
  
"I think it's time you start making him proud again. You need to forget about your ego. That's what got your father into the position he was in earlier. You need to start thinking about your mother and remembering to act with discipline and not your   
ambition. That is how you will succeed if Majin Buu is defeated easily or not. And even if he is not defeated at all. You need to give it the absolute best you've got and that is going to require obedience. Understand?"  
  
  
Trunks nodded, tears in the corner of his eyes as he took in a shaky breath.  
  
  
The corners of Piccolo's mouth turned up. He'd reached him this time. "Good." Reaching down, he pulled the boy into his arms, lifting him off his feet. "You're a very resourceful person. With a little bit of direction, I know you'll do great," he pulled him back a little to look into his face.  
  
  
Trunks smiled slightly, tears still in the corners of his eyes as Piccolo placed him back on the ground.  
  
  
"You're dismissed."  
  
  
Trunks wiped the tears from his eyes and snifled as he exited the room and found his mother sitting not far from Chichi. Goten was on her lap. He wondered if she was still very mad at him.  
  
  
"Mom...," Tunks fidgeted with his belt.  
  
  
"Yes, Trunks?" Bulma raised one eyebrow, a hesitant smile on her face.  
  
  
"...I'm sorry I ran off this afternoon...and didn't come back when I was told to. I should have thought about you first. I'm sorry," Trunks looked at his shoes.  
  
  
"That's my boy," Bulma wrapped her arms around her child, pulling him into her chest and kissing his cheek. "I love you, Trunks."  
  
  
Trunks smiled and hugged back. "I love you too, mom."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 


End file.
